Gas-making apparatus



v (No Model.)

L. W. SWIEM. GAS MAKING APPARATUS.

Patentd Deo.211897.

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(No Model.)

2 Slleets-Shet 2. Lf W. SWEM. GAS MAKING APARATUS.

Patented Deo. 21, 18,97

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE W. SWEM, OF WEST LIBERTY, IOWA.

GAS-MAKING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,979, dated December 21, 1897. Application tiled January 2]., 1897. Serial No. 620,094. (No model.)

T all whom t mcryooncerlt:

Beit known that I, LAWRENCE l/V. SWEM, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Liberty, in the county of Muscatine and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Making Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation showing the airpump and air-reservoir in section. Fig. 2 is a detail of the hydraulic cylinder. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the air-pump-operating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the position of the valves in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the parts in another position. Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the position of the valves in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the pumpoperating mechanism.

This invention relates to a new and improved gas-making apparatus; and it has for its object to produce an apparatus which will operate automatically and continuously.

The invention consists in the novelcombi` nation and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

Referring to the various parts by numerals, 1 designates a two-part air-pump, the movable part 2 of which is connected by rods 3 to the piston-rod 4 of the piston 5. This piston works in a vertical hydraulic cylinder 6, which is connected at its lower end to a water-supply pipe 7. In the supply-pipe 7, vadjacent the cylinder 6, is mounted a three-way valve 8, whose plug is formed with a radial arm 9, which carries at its outer end a lateral arm 10. Supported upon the supply-pipe by means of an adjustable block 11 is a rigid arm or bridge 12, which extends parallel with the said pipe, its free end being adjacent the valve 8. Mounted upon a horizontal pivot, which is supported in this arm axially in line with the plug of valve 8, is a vertically-rotatable plate 13, which is formed with a radial arm 14 and two outwardly-extending operating-arms 15 15a. These arms 15 and 15a are adapted to alternately contact with the lateral arm of valve 8, and thereby open and close the valve. To the outer end of the arm 14 is secured one-end of a spring 16, whose other end is rigidly secured to the supply-pipe ata point directly in line with the horizontal center of the valve 8. One end of a chain or cord 17 is also secured to the outer end of arm 14. The other end of this chain is loosely secured to one of the rods 3, which connect the piston 4 to the air-pump. On this rod, above and below-the chain,are adjustable stops 18,which alternately contact with the chain as the pump rises and falls. The operation of this mech anism is as follows: Assuming the part-s to be in the position shown in Fig. 3, the valve 8 is open, as shown in Fig. 4, and the piston in the cylinder is being forced up. This raises part 2 of the air-pump. As the rods 3 are raised the lower stop 18 contactsrwith the loose end of chain 17 which is secured around one of said rods, andcarries it up. This action rotates plate 13 slowly until arm 14passes above the horizontal center of the valve. At this point the arm will Contact with the lateral arm 10 of the valve 8 and begin to close the valve. The spring 16 is at its greatest tension at this point and will instantly swing the arm 14 upward, causing the arm 15a to quickly close valve S, and thereby shut off the supply of water, and connect the cylinder with the waste-pipe 19, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The water will now be forced out of the cylinder and the air-pump will descend. When the air-pump has reached the limit of its downward movement, the upper stop 18 has contacted with the chain 17 andvhas rotated plate 13 until arm 14 has passed below the horizontal center of valve 8 and arm l5 has contacted with arm 10 of said valve. Spring 16 will then quickly draw arm 14 down, rotating valve 8 and putting the supply-pipe again into communication with the cylinder 6 and shutting off the waste-pipe, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Leading into the air-pu mp is a pipe 20, having an inwardly-opening valve 21 at its upper end, and leading from said pump is a pipe 22, which extends into a two-part air-reservoir 23. This pipe-is provided with an inwardly-opening valve 24. Upon the top of the movable part 25 of the air-reservoir are two weights 26 and 27. To the weight 26 is pivoted the lower end of a bar 28, whose upper end is pivoted to the end of a lever 29. The other end of this lever is rigidly secured IOS to the plug of a valve 30, which is mounted in the Waste-pipe. This lever is so secured to said valve that when tank 25 is raised the valve 30 will be closed, said valve being automatically opened as the tank 25 descends. From the air-reservoir extends a pipe 31,Which carries the air into the carbureter 32, and from the carbureter a pipe 33 carries the gas to any desired point. A pipe 3a connects the air-pipe 3l with the gas-pipe 33, and a valve 35 is located in said pipe. Secured to the plug of this valve is a lever 245, which is adj ustably connected to an upright arm 37, which is pivotally con n ect-ed to the Weight 27. v The operation ot this mechanism is as follows: When tank 25 is at the lowest point of its movement, valves 30 and 35 are open, and as the tank is raised by the air from the pump the valves are closed by means of the levers connected to the tank. The object of thus controlling said valves is to'regulate the operation of the air-pump and to regulate the amount of pure air admitted into the gas-pi pe. lt Willbe seen that as soon as tank 25 has reached a certain point the Waste-valve will be closed and further movement of the air-pump will be prevented until air has been used from the airreservoir. lVhen sufficient air has been taken from the reservoir to permit the tank to open valve 30, Water will escape from the cylinder and the pump will again raise tank 25. This will continue until all the Water has escaped from cylinder G, when the tripping mechanism Will operate to raise the pump-section 2.

The valve 35 admits pure air into the gaspipe in order to prevent the gas smoking When it is burned, and it is so controlled that a greater quantity is admitted when a large quantity of gas is being used, only a small quant-ity being admitted When a small quantity of gas is being used. The Weight 27 is movable upon the top of tank 25 in order to secure the proper operation of the lever 36, which controls the valve 35. It will be seen that by the use of the valve 30 and the levers 29 and 28, connected thereto and to the tank 25, a uniform air-pressure will be maintained in the air-reservoir and that the pump will be prevented from forcing the tank 25 out of the section 23. It will also be noted that the pressure in the reservoir need not be as great as the pressure in the pump and that said pressure may be regulated independently of the pump-pressure.

When a great quantity of gas is being used, the tank 25 will descend rapidly and open valve 35, so that a large quantity of pure air will be admitted into the gaspipe 33; but when only a small quantity of gas is being used the tank will descend only a short distance and valve 35 will be only slightly opened. It Will also be understood that the rapidity of the descent of the air-pump will depend upon the amount of gas used, as the valve 30 controls the exit of Water from cylinder (i and said valve is operated by the tank 25. It Will therefore be seen that as the tank 25 descends rapidly when a large quantity of gas is used the valve 30 will be opened to permit a rapid exit of Water from the cylinder and a corresponding rapid descent of the air-pump section 2.

By a proper adjustment of the lever-sconnectedwvith the valve 30 air maybe supplied to tank 25 as rapidly as it is drawn from the tank and a constant pressure be thereby maintained in said tank.

By the use of the tripping mechanism shown the inlet-valve will remain in its fullopen and also in its closed position until the piston has iinished its stroke, and then said valve will be suddenly operated. This permits a quick and uniform raising of the pumpsection 2.

The Weights 26 and 27 are preferably mov-v able on top of the reservoir. The rod 2S is connected to the lever 29 by means of a suitable pivot-pin 40, the adjacent ends of the rod and lever being each provided With a series of holes to make the connection an adjustable one in the Well-known manner. The rod 37 is pivotally and adjustably connected to lever 36 by means of a link 38, pivoted to the upper end of said rod 37 and engaging over said lever 36 and provided with a setscreW 39 to clamp the lever 36.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gas-machine the combination of an air-pump, an air-reservoir, a carbureter connected to the reservoir, a gas-pipe leading from said carbureter, an air-pipe connecting the air-reservoir to the gas-pipe, a valve in this air-pipe, and means connected to the airreservoir for moving this valve as the airreservoir :rises or falls, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-machine the combination of an air-pump, an air-reservoir having a movable upper section, a carburetor connected to the reservoir, a gas-pipe leading from the carbureter, an air-pipe connecting this pipe to the air-reservoir, a valve in this pipe, a lever connected to this valve, and means for adjustably connecting this lever with the movable section of the air-reservoir, substantially as described.

3. In an air-pump for a gas-machine, the combination of a two-part pump, a hydraulic cylinder, a piston therein, means for connecting this piston to the movable section of the air-pump, a supply-pipe and a Waste-pipe connected to said cylinder, a valve in said Wastepipe, an air-reservoir formed with a movable uppersection, means connected to this movable section for moving the valve in the Wastepipe as said section rises or falls, means for controlling the supply of Water to the cylinder, and a valved pipe connecting the airpump with the air-reservoir, substantially as described.

4. In an air-pump for a gas-machine the combination of a hydraulic cylinder, a piston IOO IIO

therein, a two-part air-pump having an upper movable section, means for connecting the piston to this movable section, a supplypipe and a Waste-pipe connected to said cylinder, a valve in the Waste-pipe, a lever connected thereto, means for pivotally-connecting this lever to the movable section of the air-pump, means for controlling the supply of fluid to the cylinder, and a valved pipe connecting the air-pump to the air-reservoir, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a carbureter, an airreservoir, an air-pump, a valved pipe connecting the air reservoir and pump and another pipe connecting the reservoir and the carbureter, another pipe connecting the airreservoir to the gas-pipe leading from the carbureter, a valve in this latter pipe and means for automatically opening and closing the valve by the movement of the air-reservoir, a hydraulic cylinder for operating the airpump, a waste-valve in the Waste-pipe leading therefrom, means for automatically opening and closing this Waste-valve by the movement of the air-reservoir, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an air-pump for a gas-machine the combination of a hydraulic cylinder, a piston therein, an air-pump having a movable upper section, a rod 3 connecting said sectionv to the piston, stops on said rod, a supply-pipe connected to the cylinder, avalve in said pipe, a lateral arm carried by said valve, an oscillatin g plate adjacent said valve, arms on said plate adapted to engage the arm on the valve during a portion of the movement of said- LAWRENCE vv. sWEM.

Witnesses:

T. C. MARoUssIN, JOHN RUSH. 

